Futurelawyer

FutureLawyer Gets Engaged!

I am pleased to announce my engagement to this beautiful, kind, loving, sweet, genuine, good woman on February 15, 2019. 

Using The Stylus To Take Photos With The Note 9

I am having fun playing with the Note 9 and its unique stylus. Take the stylus out of the phone, and several options pop up, such as note taking, editing, and other great functions. I am not an artist; but, a person with artistic talent could have a lot of fun drawing of the huge 6.4 inch screen. But, by far, my favorite feature, given that I am a serious amateur photographer, is the ability to push a button on the stylus to take a photo. No more fumbling with your thumb on the screen. I can always use the Miggo Pictar device I have written about before, which is a camera grip with a shutter button and works great. However, it is very cool to frame a photo when you aren't even holding the phone, and press a button on the stylus to shoot. 

Optical Zoom Lens In A Smartphone? Wow.

Samsung Could Finally Beat Google with This Camera Breakthrough. I have been a serious amateur photographer for many years. I have a home darkroom, that became obsolete when film gave way to digital imaging. However, I have spent many hours processing negative and slide film, although positive slide processing and printing was my specialty. I love the new digital SLR's, which have become less bulky. Zoom lenses, however, are big and unwieldy; but, you need an optical zoom for the best images. I have compromised, and use an 18 mm to 400 mm zoom on my Canon body, which allows me to get just about any image I want. Smartphones, however, are making great strides, and someday in the not too distant future, Samsung's acquisition of a small Israeli startup might change the game forever. The company is Corephotonics, which has developed a zoom lens that fits inside the smartphone, by using prisms to direct light to the phone sensor. This would make the digital zoom obsolete, and bring true zoom capability to the average smartphone. Someday you might be able to put the heavy camera gear away with your darkroom equipment. Now, get out there and shoot some images with the camera you already have. It is the best one.

#ParrotSunday - Anhinga

This guy lives on Bay Lake, 4 blocks from the house. The island in the middle of the lake (more like a pond) serves as a rookery for dozens of seabirds and Florida native birds. Sunset is a glorious time; but, I got this photo 5 years ago in the early morning. Life is full of beauty. You just have to look for it.

Essential PH-1 Is Dead - Long Live Essential PH-1

Essential PH-1 discontinued, company reportedly working on its %u201Cnext mobile product%u201D | Digit.in. The fact that Essential has discontinued the PH-1 to work on a new product is just another reason to buy the best camera for the price available. Of course, the problem is that you have to find one. The phone has a great camera, and I bought it because it had the latest version of Android, was small and compact, and had an edge to edge screen and 126 GB of storage. It has been my backup phone for a while now; but, lately, it is my go to digital camera. It marries well with the Pictar camera handle, and makes a great adjunct to my Canon T6 SLR. When I don't need the long lens, and am out and about, the Essential PH-1 - Pictar combo is the only camera I need. If you can find one, buy it. Andy Rubin has promised it will even be upgraded to Android Q when available. Not bad for an orphan phone.

#TBT - When The Judge Wants To Play With Your New Digital Camera

Circa 2003. Actually, the images weren't bad for an early 2 megapixel camera. 

Mirrorless Android Camera That Uses Canon Lenses

This new mirrorless camera runs Android and supports Canon lenses. I spent an enjoyable day at Zoo Tampa yesterday, and tried out the Miggo Pictar device that makes using a smartphone camera feel a lot like using a traditional DSLR. However, the pairing suffers from the same disease that all Smartphone cameras have, which is the lack of a decent optical zoom. The biggest mistake most amateur photographers make is not filling the screen with the subject of their photograph, and digital zooms just don't cut it. With a 28mm to 400 mm zoom lens, I can pretty much nail any image I want, and zoo photography is ideal for such a lens. If I can get physically close enough to my subject, I can live with the quality of images from a modern smartphone (see photo attached from yesterday's zoo visit); and, the Pictar makes the experience much better. It is light, easy to carry around, and the images get sent to the cloud as soon as I take them. So, this new Android based camera that will accept all my lenses would be pretty cool. It remains to be seen whether this becomes a real product. 

Priceless

Longoria jersey. Check. Nora Ephron's latest book. Check. Pinot Noir. Check. Smartphones. Check. Tablet computer. Check. 

Ready for baseball. Priceless.

MyMiggo Pictar - Turn Your Phone Into A DSLR

Amazon.com: Mymiggo Pictar OnePlus Mark II-Smartphone Camera Grip for iPhone and Android (for Plus-Sized Phones): Cell Phones & Accessories. I recently highlighted a camera grip for Smartphones that made it easier to hold and take photos with a smartphone, adding a bluetooth remote shutter button. But, I received the Pictar OnePlus Mark II today, the second iteration of a full function camera holder for phones that doesn't need bluetooth, and doesn't affect the camera battery. It is larger and more DSLR like in its function, and comes with a neck strap and wrist strap. I might just leave my DSLR at home from now on. The Note 8's camera is light years better than previous phones, and I will post some of my results tonight, as I am going on a sunset cruise at St. Pete Beach. If you are a serious photographer, you are going to want one of these.

The Best Camera Is The One In Your Pocket

I have been a serious amateur photographer for many years. I had a home darkroom in the days of film and slides, and have hundreds of hand made prints around the house and office. I still have my darkroom equipment set up in my home office, even though it hasn't been used in a long time. I even have many SLRs around, although I have graduated to a digital camera that I take when I travel or do nature or zoo photography. However, most days, I am stuck with the camera in my pocket, which we all have and use, in our smartphones. These cameras have been greatly improved, and take quality photographs. The ergonomics, however, are a far cry from the easy to hold, and shoot, of a true SLR camera. So, I was intrigued by this bluetooth remote shutter that creates a comfortable holder for smartphones. The index finger easily presses the shutter button, permitting horizontal and vertical shots with ease. The shutter even removes, for true remote use on a tripod. So, use the camera you have; but, use it in comfort. Remember, the true camera is the one between your ears, and looks at the world through your eyes.